SUMMER 2013 A Pub l ica t ion o f the Amer ican Mounta in Guides Assoc ia t ion amga.com

45 53 15.0000 N7 0 24.9984 E

VINCE ANDERSON: SOFT ROCK, HEAVY METAL

A ROVING GUIDE GATHERS NO MOSS

THE WINDOW MUNTER

THE GUIDING LIFE, WITH MAJKA BURHARDT

UIDE

G

22 GUIDE BETA The Window Munter by Dale Remsberg

24 UNROPED Meet Elaina

Arenz by Lizzy Scully

26 MOUNTAIN

BUZZ News from the field

34 THE GUIDING LIFE

Cruxes Made Easy by Majka Burhardt

4 MEET THE STAFF

5 DIRECTORS CORNER

by Betsy Winter

7 SOFT ROCK, HEAVY METAL A Profile of Vince Anderson by Chris Barlow

12 PHOTO ESSAY A Roving

Guide Gathers No Moss by Dylan Taylor

20 GUIDE BETA Bolts and Pins by Tom Hargis

CONTENTS SUMMER 2013

GUIDE

On the cover: The young client Rhiannon on the Traverse of the Aiguille de Entreves, Chamonix, France, in 2008, when Dylan Taylor guided her and her father across the classic exposed ridge.

amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 3

24

347

22

12

22 GUIDE BETA The Window Munter by Dale Remsberg

24 UNROPED Meet Elaina

Arenz by Lizzy Scully

26 MOUNTAIN

BUZZ News from the field

34 THE GUIDING LIFE

Cruxes Made Easy by Majka Burhardt

4 MEET THE STAFF

5 DIRECTORS CORNER

by Betsy Winter

7 SOFT ROCK, HEAVY METAL A Profile of Vince Anderson by Chris Barlow

12 PHOTO ESSAY A Roving

Guide Gathers No Moss by Dylan Taylor

20 GUIDE BETA Bolts and Pins by Tom Hargis

CONTENTS SUMMER 2013

GUIDE

On the cover: The young client Rhiannon on the Traverse of the Aiguille de Entreves, Chamonix, France, in 2008, when Dylan Taylor guided her and her father across the classic exposed ridge.

amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 3

24

347

22

12

BUT BENEATH THE DOWN JACKETS, wool base layers, and ice axes, who are we? New information from a 2013 member-based survey sheds light on the nuts and bolts of what constitutes an AMGA guide or member. Some 825 people completed the 61-question survey, and well be sharing a few highlights in this, the inaugural issue of our new-and-improved Guide Bulletin. Be on the lookout for the AMGAs first annual State of the Guiding Industry Report, to be published in August on our freshly redesigned, more user-friendly and service-oriented website and blog at amga.com.

In the meantime, were giving you more of what you asked for, and were providing it through in-depth content contributed by our guides, engaging profiles of guides and their businesses, and additional resources

to boost your skill set. In this issue, learn about one of Majka Burhardts formative guiding experiences in Cruxes Made Easy (pg. 34). Get the scoop on why Vince Anderson advocates for a more alpine-style, light-and-fast approach to guiding in Soft Rock, Heavy Metal (pg. 7). And check out our Guide Beta section to learn about how to gauge the quality of old bolt and piton placements (pg. 20), and how to use the Window Munter (pg. 22).

Like what you see? Oh, goodwe hoped so! Stay tuned for more. We know you go the extra mile for your clients, and so we are committed to doing the same for you.

If you would like to contribute stories, photos, guide tips, or letters to the editor, please contact Editor Lizzy Scully at editor@amga.com, or contact me directly at betsy@amga.com.

DIRECTORS CORNER SUMMER 2013

Guide Bulletin

Colorado Sta!

Vince Anderson, Steve Banks, K.C. Baum, Marc Chauvin, Alain Comeau, Clint Cook, Peter Doucette, Keith Garvey, Larry Goldie, Mark Hammond, Tom Hargis, Angela Hawse, Rob Hess, John Kear, Anna Keeling, Peter Leh, Erik Leidecker, Forest McBrian, Kent McBride, Art Mooney, SP Parker, Olivia Race, Dale Remsberg, Silas Rossi, Christian Santelices, Miles Smart, Jonathon Spitzer, Evan Stevens, Dylan Taylor, Martin Volken, Jeff Ward, Margaret Wheeler, Amos Whiting

Instructor Team Members

AMGA Board of Directors

We are bold. We are adventurous. We embody the soul of our sports: guided climbing and skiing. We are the AMGA guides and members, a unique batch of folks who are passionate about outdoor recreation, be it scaling alpine cliffs, skiing the steepest and deepest, or visiting lands only seen by the most pioneer hearted. By Betsy WinterGUIDE

BULLETIN

Margaret WheelerPresidentMarc ChauvinVice PresidentAnnie HarringtonSecretaryScott SodenTreasurerMajka Burhardt, Karsten Delap, Nate Disser, Charles Goldman, King Grant, Rob Hess, Pete Keane, Marty Molitoris, Lou Patterson, Dale Remsberg, Scott Schell, Betsy Winter

Executive Director: Betsy WinterProgram Director: Henry BeyerClimbing Instructor Program and Accreditation Director: Ed CrothersOutreach and Advocacy Director: Scott MasseyTechnical Director: Dale RemsbergProgram Assistant: Pete LorenzMembership Manager: Valerie BenderStrategic Partnerships Manager: Dana Richardson

Editor: Lizzy ScullyArt Director: Beth RicciardiGuest Editor: Matt SametCopy Editor: Eve HershContributing Writers: Chris Barlow, Majka Burhardt, Tom Hargis, Dale Remsberg, Lizzy Scully, Dylan TaylorContributing Photographers: Scott Adams, Vince Anderson, Peter Doucette, Matt Farmer, Dawn Kish, Chris Noble, Dylan Taylor, Ashley Davis Tilly 39 59 58.2432 N, 105 24 46.8864 W

JEAN SPENCER IN BOULDER

CANYON, COLORADO.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY DAVIS TILLY

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 4 amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 5

BUT BENEATH THE DOWN JACKETS, wool base layers, and ice axes, who are we? New information from a 2013 member-based survey sheds light on the nuts and bolts of what constitutes an AMGA guide or member. Some 825 people completed the 61-question survey, and well be sharing a few highlights in this, the inaugural issue of our new-and-improved Guide Bulletin. Be on the lookout for the AMGAs first annual State of the Guiding Industry Report, to be published in August on our freshly redesigned, more user-friendly and service-oriented website and blog at amga.com.

In the meantime, were giving you more of what you asked for, and were providing it through in-depth content contributed by our guides, engaging profiles of guides and their businesses, and additional resources

to boost your skill set. In this issue, learn about one of Majka Burhardts formative guiding experiences in Cruxes Made Easy (pg. 34). Get the scoop on why Vince Anderson advocates for a more alpine-style, light-and-fast approach to guiding in Soft Rock, Heavy Metal (pg. 7). And check out our Guide Beta section to learn about how to gauge the quality of old bolt and piton placements (pg. 20), and how to use the Window Munter (pg. 22).

Like what you see? Oh, goodwe hoped so! Stay tuned for more. We know you go the extra mile for your clients, and so we are committed to doing the same for you.

If you would like to contribute stories, photos, guide tips, or letters to the editor, please contact Editor Lizzy Scully at editor@amga.com, or contact me directly at betsy@amga.com.

DIRECTORS CORNER SUMMER 2013

Guide Bulletin

Colorado Sta!

Vince Anderson, Steve Banks, K.C. Baum, Marc Chauvin, Alain Comeau, Clint Cook, Peter Doucette, Keith Garvey, Larry Goldie, Mark Hammond, Tom Hargis, Angela Hawse, Rob Hess, John Kear, Anna Keeling, Peter Leh, Erik Leidecker, Forest McBrian, Kent McBride, Art Mooney, SP Parker, Olivia Race, Dale Remsberg, Silas Rossi, Christian Santelices, Miles Smart, Jonathon Spitzer, Evan Stevens, Dylan Taylor, Martin Volken, Jeff Ward, Margaret Wheeler, Amos Whiting

Instructor Team Members

AMGA Board of Directors

We are bold. We are adventurous. We embody the soul of our sports: guided climbing and skiing. We are the AMGA guides and members, a unique batch of folks who are passionate about outdoor recreation, be it scaling alpine cliffs, skiing the steepest and deepest, or visiting lands only seen by the most pioneer hearted. By Betsy WinterGUIDE

BULLETIN

Margaret WheelerPresidentMarc ChauvinVice PresidentAnnie HarringtonSecretaryScott SodenTreasurerMajka Burhardt, Karsten Delap, Nate Disser, Charles Goldman, King Grant, Rob Hess, Pete Keane, Marty Molitoris, Lou Patterson, Dale Remsberg, Scott Schell, Betsy Winter

Executive Director: Betsy WinterProgram Director: Henry BeyerClimbing Instructor Program and Accreditation Director: Ed CrothersOutreach and Advocacy Director: Scott MasseyTechnical Director: Dale RemsbergProgram Assistant: Pete LorenzMembership Manager: Valerie BenderStrategic Partnerships Manager: Dana Richardson

Editor: Lizzy ScullyArt Director: Beth RicciardiGuest Editor: Matt SametCopy Editor: Eve HershContributing Writers: Chris Barlow, Majka Burhardt, Tom Hargis, Dale Remsberg, Lizzy Scully, Dylan TaylorContributing Photographers: Scott Adams, Vince Anderson, Peter Doucette, Matt Farmer, Dawn Kish, Chris Noble, Dylan Taylor, Ashley Davis Tilly 39 59 58.2432 N, 105 24 46.8864 W

JEAN SPENCER IN BOULDER

CANYON, COLORADO.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY DAVIS TILLY

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 4 amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 5

IN MARCH 2008, Vince Anderson and Steve House climbed a mostly new route up the infamous North Face of Mount Alberta, in full winter condi-tions. They spent numerous hours breaking trail on skis, climbed hundreds of meters of dangerous snow and mixed terrain, and endured a five-hour bivy atop a small snow mushroom. The climbers then faced a taxing descent down a complexly corniced ridge, which left them in the wrong gully and with a di!cult choice: to continue descending unknown terrain in the dark or bivy another night with little food and sleeping bags frozen flat. In a trip report in Alpinist, Anderson wrote, We de-cided to stay put and shiver through it. It was miserable.

Fast-and-light alpinism, Andersons preferred climbing elixir, requires a high tolerance for adversity. Anderson has climbed numerous remote, di!cult, and very cold peaks around the world, including the first ascent of the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat. For this climb, he and House were the first North Americans awarded the prestigious Piolet dOr. To put a point on it, Anderson doesnt just tolerate adversity; he embraces it. So when he says the bivy on Mount Alberta was miserable, you know the situation was grim.

Anderson is an IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide and, with House, also an IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide, operates Skyward Mountaineering, a small guide

service based in western Colorado. Skyward specializes in custom trips to o"-the-beaten track destinations like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and more well-known areas such as the Ouray Ice Park, as well as private expeditions to peaks in the worlds great ranges.

The experience Anderson o"ers his clients di"ers in magnitude but not much in quality from his own trips into the mountains. As he puts it, Alpinism is my religion, and the mountains my church. When I take people there, I feel obligated to share with them a view toward climbing that counts ethics, courage, and aesthet-ics among its virtues. The fact that alpinism is a disci-pline of virtue is something that makes it quite special among leisure sporting activities, and something that is best learned through example. Accordingly, Anderson leads his clients through an apprenticeship of ascents that ramp up in di!culty and commitment level. When designing a trip with a client, Anderson aims to find a sweet spot of challenge, one in which the client experiences the true spirit of alpinism: adventure, the unknown, the possibility for failure, and building a strong partnership.

With a guiding career spanning nearly 20 years, a

A DAY AT THE OFFICE:

ANDERSON AT THE

OURAY ICE PARK.

PHOTO BY JAMES Q MARTIN

SOFT ROCK, HEAVY METAL

VINCE ANDERSON: BRINGING ALPINISMS TRUE SPIRIT OF CHALLENGE, ADVENTURE, AND PARTNERSHIP TO MOUNTAIN GUIDING

By Chris Barlow

38 0 50.3928 N, 107 40 14.6532 W

+

7amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

IN MARCH 2008, Vince Anderson and Steve House climbed a mostly new route up the infamous North Face of Mount Alberta, in full winter condi-tions. They spent numerous hours breaking trail on skis, climbed hundreds of meters of dangerous snow and mixed terrain, and endured a five-hour bivy atop a small snow mushroom. The climbers then faced a taxing descent down a complexly corniced ridge, which left them in the wrong gully and with a di!cult choice: to continue descending unknown terrain in the dark or bivy another night with little food and sleeping bags frozen flat. In a trip report in Alpinist, Anderson wrote, We de-cided to stay put and shiver through it. It was miserable.

Fast-and-light alpinism, Andersons preferred climbing elixir, requires a high tolerance for adversity. Anderson has climbed numerous remote, di!cult, and very cold peaks around the world, including the first ascent of the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat. For this climb, he and House were the first North Americans awarded the prestigious Piolet dOr. To put a point on it, Anderson doesnt just tolerate adversity; he embraces it. So when he says the bivy on Mount Alberta was miserable, you know the situation was grim.

Anderson is an IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide and, with House, also an IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide, operates Skyward Mountaineering, a small guide

service based in western Colorado. Skyward specializes in custom trips to o"-the-beaten track destinations like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and more well-known areas such as the Ouray Ice Park, as well as private expeditions to peaks in the worlds great ranges.

The experience Anderson o"ers his clients di"ers in magnitude but not much in quality from his own trips into the mountains. As he puts it, Alpinism is my religion, and the mountains my church. When I take people there, I feel obligated to share with them a view toward climbing that counts ethics, courage, and aesthet-ics among its virtues. The fact that alpinism is a disci-pline of virtue is something that makes it quite special among leisure sporting activities, and something that is best learned through example. Accordingly, Anderson leads his clients through an apprenticeship of ascents that ramp up in di!culty and commitment level. When designing a trip with a client, Anderson aims to find a sweet spot of challenge, one in which the client experiences the true spirit of alpinism: adventure, the unknown, the possibility for failure, and building a strong partnership.

With a guiding career spanning nearly 20 years, a

A DAY AT THE OFFICE:

ANDERSON AT THE

OURAY ICE PARK.

PHOTO BY JAMES Q MARTIN

SOFT ROCK, HEAVY METAL

VINCE ANDERSON: BRINGING ALPINISMS TRUE SPIRIT OF CHALLENGE, ADVENTURE, AND PARTNERSHIP TO MOUNTAIN GUIDING

By Chris Barlow

38 0 50.3928 N, 107 40 14.6532 W

+

7amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

CHOSS ENCOUNTERSBlackDiamondEquipment.com

Vector Helmet

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decade on the cutting edge of alpinism, and a lifetime in the mountains, An-derson o"ers a distinct, and sometimes controversial, perspective on style and the meaning of climbing. The AMGA recently had a chance to dig deeper into his perspective on climbing, guiding, and his inclination toward heavy metal (check out the videos under Cool Stu" at the Skyward website).

AMGA: You grew up in the mountains and started climbing at an early age. How did that recreational pursuit evolve into a professional one?VINCE ANDERSON: My initial attraction to becoming a guide was simply to find a full-time way to enable my climbing and skiing habit. When I was four or so, my parents took me up the Devils Head mountain on the Front Range. On top, there is a fire lookout that you can hike up to and go inside. On the way up, I asked, Who lives there? My parents replied, The mountain man.

My mother kept a childrens journal for me. Where it asked, What do you want to be when you grow up? I wrote down, The Mountain Man. So I guess Ive wanted a career in the mountains for quite some time.

Youre a very accomplished guide as well as an elite climber. How do these two pursuits support or conflict with each other? The better a climber one is, the better one is prepared for many (though, certainly not all) of the technical challenges involved in guiding: you move e!ciently and smoothly and can stay within yourself when working. By that, I mean the types of routes youre likely to guide will be well within your abilities. You can focus more of your energy and attention on guiding-specific details like your clients comfort and well-being. It is, however, di!cult to dedi-cate the time necessary to being a full-fledged professional climber when guid-ing a lot. You end up tired from work and cannot do as much focused training. You can, though, use guiding for low-end, longer, aerobic-type workouts, and factor that into your training plans.

Of course, in my opinion, the body is rarely the weak link for people train-ing for alpinism; the mind is. Guiding can o"er a lot of opportunity to expand your mental muscular threshold. You can go into environments with which you are less familiar and where you have to make decisions on your own re-garding the safety of and success or failure of the outing. Unlike climbing with an equal partner, your clients usually cannot help you with these decisions, so youre forced to think hard about them.

Tell me about the history of Skyward Mountaineeringwhat inspired you two to start the company, and how do you see it growing? Early in my guiding career (the mid-90s), I wanted to get better at ice climbing. At the time, Ouray seemed to be the place to go, so I went there. I knew there were some guiding opportunities, but not many. I had a hard time getting work with local guide services; there just wasnt that much regular guiding work. So I decided to start my own service, market it, and see if I could get business on my own. I never started out wanting to create the next big thing. I just wanted to o"er personalized, custom climbing and skiing outings to people. To a large extent, thats what Im still doing. Most trips are custom, and the majority of my client base is repeat customers who Ive developed a relationship with over time.

What kind of experience do you o!er your clients? What do you hope theyll get out of a trip?I strive to personalize their experience to [meet] their needs and desires. I know that most people come to climbing through a desire for adventure. Theyre hiring a guide for many reasons, often because they want someone else making the important decisions or are unable or unwilling to lead securely. I like to get a sense of how they feel and perform, and then push them a littlesometimes more than a littleout of their comfort zone to a place of vulner-

Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags elevate the notion of what a night

in the backcountry can be. Our breakthrough design integrates with

your mattress to create some of the lightest and most comfortable

sleeping bags available. Because a great day in the outdoors

starts the night before.

Learn more at thermarestsleepingbags.com

IT ALL BEGINS WITH A GREAT NIGHTS REST.

Sleeping Bags

Phot

o:

Hag

ePho

to

20

13 C

asca

de D

esig

ns, I

nc.

9amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

CHOSS ENCOUNTERSBlackDiamondEquipment.com

Vector Helmet

Jona

than

The

seng

a, O

rient

(7b)

, Ala

Dag

Mou

ntai

ns, T

urke

y. A

ND

REW

BU

RR

decade on the cutting edge of alpinism, and a lifetime in the mountains, An-derson o"ers a distinct, and sometimes controversial, perspective on style and the meaning of climbing. The AMGA recently had a chance to dig deeper into his perspective on climbing, guiding, and his inclination toward heavy metal (check out the videos under Cool Stu" at the Skyward website).

AMGA: You grew up in the mountains and started climbing at an early age. How did that recreational pursuit evolve into a professional one?VINCE ANDERSON: My initial attraction to becoming a guide was simply to find a full-time way to enable my climbing and skiing habit. When I was four or so, my parents took me up the Devils Head mountain on the Front Range. On top, there is a fire lookout that you can hike up to and go inside. On the way up, I asked, Who lives there? My parents replied, The mountain man.

My mother kept a childrens journal for me. Where it asked, What do you want to be when you grow up? I wrote down, The Mountain Man. So I guess Ive wanted a career in the mountains for quite some time.

Youre a very accomplished guide as well as an elite climber. How do these two pursuits support or conflict with each other? The better a climber one is, the better one is prepared for many (though, certainly not all) of the technical challenges involved in guiding: you move e!ciently and smoothly and can stay within yourself when working. By that, I mean the types of routes youre likely to guide will be well within your abilities. You can focus more of your energy and attention on guiding-specific details like your clients comfort and well-being. It is, however, di!cult to dedi-cate the time necessary to being a full-fledged professional climber when guid-ing a lot. You end up tired from work and cannot do as much focused training. You can, though, use guiding for low-end, longer, aerobic-type workouts, and factor that into your training plans.

Of course, in my opinion, the body is rarely the weak link for people train-ing for alpinism; the mind is. Guiding can o"er a lot of opportunity to expand your mental muscular threshold. You can go into environments with which you are less familiar and where you have to make decisions on your own re-garding the safety of and success or failure of the outing. Unlike climbing with an equal partner, your clients usually cannot help you with these decisions, so youre forced to think hard about them.

Tell me about the history of Skyward Mountaineeringwhat inspired you two to start the company, and how do you see it growing? Early in my guiding career (the mid-90s), I wanted to get better at ice climbing. At the time, Ouray seemed to be the place to go, so I went there. I knew there were some guiding opportunities, but not many. I had a hard time getting work with local guide services; there just wasnt that much regular guiding work. So I decided to start my own service, market it, and see if I could get business on my own. I never started out wanting to create the next big thing. I just wanted to o"er personalized, custom climbing and skiing outings to people. To a large extent, thats what Im still doing. Most trips are custom, and the majority of my client base is repeat customers who Ive developed a relationship with over time.

What kind of experience do you o!er your clients? What do you hope theyll get out of a trip?I strive to personalize their experience to [meet] their needs and desires. I know that most people come to climbing through a desire for adventure. Theyre hiring a guide for many reasons, often because they want someone else making the important decisions or are unable or unwilling to lead securely. I like to get a sense of how they feel and perform, and then push them a littlesometimes more than a littleout of their comfort zone to a place of vulner-

Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags elevate the notion of what a night

in the backcountry can be. Our breakthrough design integrates with

your mattress to create some of the lightest and most comfortable

sleeping bags available. Because a great day in the outdoors

starts the night before.

Learn more at thermarestsleepingbags.com

IT ALL BEGINS WITH A GREAT NIGHTS REST.

Sleeping Bags

Phot

o:

Hag

ePho

to

20

13 C

asca

de D

esig

ns, I

nc.

9amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

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ability. Its a delicate game, though. I find with judicious attention to the individual and their stress indicators, you can do this in a way that lets them grow tremendously from the experience and come away with a true sense of what I think alpinism is all about: adventure/risk, trust, partnership, and respect. I want them to feel as if theyve shared the rope with me as a real partner as well as feel rewarded by the challenges of a climb.

What do you see as your niche in the guiding industry?It has been and still is predominantly custom trips to alpine classics for individual clients.

What other niche opportunities do you see in the guiding world? I see guiding high-altitude peaks becoming more and more in vogue. It would be great to see someone developing a niche of doing so in good style, though I wont get too much into what I consider that to be. You can probably guess, though: training someone to ascend the ladder of apprenticeship that leads to climbing something like Everest without excessive porter support, fixed ropes, or artificial oxygen. That would be a cool niche, but it would be hard to convince the typical Everest client to actually serve a more lengthy appren-ticeship prior to embarking on a climb there.

Still, Id like to think that there are people who actually want to climb mountains like Everest instead of ascend them in the way thats commonly done now. You could easily take this same approach to Mount McKinley. Per-haps a lightweight expedition with a high camp at 14,000 feet, acclimatizing properly and climbing to the summit from there, and avoiding the fixed ropes. Basically, I see doing the same objectives, but doing so in a style that repre-sents the modern state of the art in alpine climbing.

You like big mountains and heavy metal. Do you have a softer side?I really like climbing soft sandstone and other crumbly rock! I think Ameri-cans have way too low a tolerance for less-than-perfect rock.

Probably as a result of my OCD attitude toward training, I got way into nutrition, and that has spawned a great interest in culinary arts. I love cook-ing and enjoying good food at home. I guess that is softer. I love heavy metal, but really its because Im a ri" freak, and ri"s live on in todays music mostly through heavy metal. That being said, I can get into just about any music with a good guitar ri", which often leads to playing stu" like Fleetwood Mac or even Journey on my turntable. Besides, my wife doesnt do the hard stu".

+

ANDERSON ON A

SERAC-ANEERING

ADVENTURE ON

MOUNT BAKER DURING

AN AMGA AAGC.

PHOTO BY

DOMENIC ASSELIN 48 46 38.4348 N, 121 48 47.5236 W

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 10 11amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

Exlusive subscription o!er for AMGA members:

CONNECT WITH USbackcountrymagazine.com

backcountrymagazine.com/app

backcountrymagazine.com/subscribeUSE CODE

BAMGA

1 YEAR - $11.95 SAVE 67%

MAGAZINE

DOWNLOAD OUR IPAD

APP TODAY!

climbing.com/apps

ClimbingiPadTHIRD VERT.indd 1 6/11/13 5:37 PM

ability. Its a delicate game, though. I find with judicious attention to the individual and their stress indicators, you can do this in a way that lets them grow tremendously from the experience and come away with a true sense of what I think alpinism is all about: adventure/risk, trust, partnership, and respect. I want them to feel as if theyve shared the rope with me as a real partner as well as feel rewarded by the challenges of a climb.

What do you see as your niche in the guiding industry?It has been and still is predominantly custom trips to alpine classics for individual clients.

What other niche opportunities do you see in the guiding world? I see guiding high-altitude peaks becoming more and more in vogue. It would be great to see someone developing a niche of doing so in good style, though I wont get too much into what I consider that to be. You can probably guess, though: training someone to ascend the ladder of apprenticeship that leads to climbing something like Everest without excessive porter support, fixed ropes, or artificial oxygen. That would be a cool niche, but it would be hard to convince the typical Everest client to actually serve a more lengthy appren-ticeship prior to embarking on a climb there.

Still, Id like to think that there are people who actually want to climb mountains like Everest instead of ascend them in the way thats commonly done now. You could easily take this same approach to Mount McKinley. Per-haps a lightweight expedition with a high camp at 14,000 feet, acclimatizing properly and climbing to the summit from there, and avoiding the fixed ropes. Basically, I see doing the same objectives, but doing so in a style that repre-sents the modern state of the art in alpine climbing.

You like big mountains and heavy metal. Do you have a softer side?I really like climbing soft sandstone and other crumbly rock! I think Ameri-cans have way too low a tolerance for less-than-perfect rock.

Probably as a result of my OCD attitude toward training, I got way into nutrition, and that has spawned a great interest in culinary arts. I love cook-ing and enjoying good food at home. I guess that is softer. I love heavy metal, but really its because Im a ri" freak, and ri"s live on in todays music mostly through heavy metal. That being said, I can get into just about any music with a good guitar ri", which often leads to playing stu" like Fleetwood Mac or even Journey on my turntable. Besides, my wife doesnt do the hard stu".

+

ANDERSON ON A

SERAC-ANEERING

ADVENTURE ON

MOUNT BAKER DURING

AN AMGA AAGC.

PHOTO BY

DOMENIC ASSELIN 48 46 38.4348 N, 121 48 47.5236 W

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 10 11amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

A ROVING GUIDE GATHERS NO MOSS FROM VAGABOND TO LOCAL EXPERT, THE GUIDING LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE

MOST GUIDES FALL INTO ONE OF two camps, each at either end of the spec-trum. The first group prefers to remain comfortably on their home turf, dialing in the local terrain, using their intimate knowledge of it to create the most e!cient and e"ective outdoor experience for their clients. No matter the weather, the snowpack, or the idiosyncrasies of their group, these guides know exactly which routes to do, and which will be most rewarding on any given day. They work with a smaller

Story & Photos by Dylan Taylor

+

63 49 32.5812 N, -149 43 54.4188 W

CLIENTS TAKING THE

EXPOSED FIRST STEPS ONTO

THE AUTOBAHN BELOW

DENALI PASS (18,200 FEET),

DENALI, ALASKA.

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 12 13amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

A ROVING GUIDE GATHERS NO MOSS FROM VAGABOND TO LOCAL EXPERT, THE GUIDING LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE

MOST GUIDES FALL INTO ONE OF two camps, each at either end of the spec-trum. The first group prefers to remain comfortably on their home turf, dialing in the local terrain, using their intimate knowledge of it to create the most e!cient and e"ective outdoor experience for their clients. No matter the weather, the snowpack, or the idiosyncrasies of their group, these guides know exactly which routes to do, and which will be most rewarding on any given day. They work with a smaller

Story & Photos by Dylan Taylor

+

63 49 32.5812 N, -149 43 54.4188 W

CLIENTS TAKING THE

EXPOSED FIRST STEPS ONTO

THE AUTOBAHN BELOW

DENALI PASS (18,200 FEET),

DENALI, ALASKA.

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 12 13amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

canvas yet maximize the experience they deliver by knowing their environment so well. If youre a visit-ing guide, these are the people to call for beta. But be forewarned: some of these folks can grow a little complacent if they use their local knowledge as a crutch too often.

THE SECOND GROUP COMPRISES chronic wanderers and vagabonds. These guides often live in trucks or vans, usually with out-of-state plates. They go through a steep

learning curve in each new work environment, but theyre addicted to the process. These guides spend a few weeks, months, or maybe even a couple of years as rookies before passing a comfort-level threshold at which the urge to move on arises. Members of this group rarely grow complacent, because by the time they begin feeling comfortable with an area theyve already made plans to guest-guide on the other side of the continent.

I once fell into the second group, but Im sure we all share characteristics from both. I spent a few years learning the trade in the North Cascades, and just as I started to scratch the surface of the range, decided to shake it up and try expedition-guiding in Alaska. I schlepped my way up and down Denali twice in 2002. One year later, my co-guide Brian Eckerling and I were excavating our camp from beneath avalanche debris on the West Rib. It was a

grey hairgrowing experience, and I decided not to make a habit of it soWhoosh!I was o" to Bolivia to breathe aerosolized lama dung at 20,000 feet while attempting to parlay my nascent expedition-guiding skills into meeting the logistical challenges of navigating a developing nation whose first lan-guage is Aymara.

In 2005, I committed myself to following the AMGA training process to its ultimate conclusion: IFMGA certification. I learned a lot and became safer, faster, and more e!cient, but the biggest thing I took away was the ability to engineer the necessary techniques in any guiding situation. In other words, I learned how to avoid most problems, or at least to MacGyver my way out of the ones I couldnt sidestep.

I was a geologist before I was a guide, and so had to suppress my inner rock geek during my first few

LAC DE DIX, SWITZERLAND, ALONG THE

HAUTE ROUTE AS SEEN FROM THE COL

DES ROUX, APRIL 2010.

I learned how to avoid most problems, or at least to MacGyver my way out of the ones I couldnt sidestep.

+

46 3 27.1008 N, 7 23 38.0580 E

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 14 15amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

canvas yet maximize the experience they deliver by knowing their environment so well. If youre a visit-ing guide, these are the people to call for beta. But be forewarned: some of these folks can grow a little complacent if they use their local knowledge as a crutch too often.

THE SECOND GROUP COMPRISES chronic wanderers and vagabonds. These guides often live in trucks or vans, usually with out-of-state plates. They go through a steep

learning curve in each new work environment, but theyre addicted to the process. These guides spend a few weeks, months, or maybe even a couple of years as rookies before passing a comfort-level threshold at which the urge to move on arises. Members of this group rarely grow complacent, because by the time they begin feeling comfortable with an area theyve already made plans to guest-guide on the other side of the continent.

I once fell into the second group, but Im sure we all share characteristics from both. I spent a few years learning the trade in the North Cascades, and just as I started to scratch the surface of the range, decided to shake it up and try expedition-guiding in Alaska. I schlepped my way up and down Denali twice in 2002. One year later, my co-guide Brian Eckerling and I were excavating our camp from beneath avalanche debris on the West Rib. It was a

grey hairgrowing experience, and I decided not to make a habit of it soWhoosh!I was o" to Bolivia to breathe aerosolized lama dung at 20,000 feet while attempting to parlay my nascent expedition-guiding skills into meeting the logistical challenges of navigating a developing nation whose first lan-guage is Aymara.

In 2005, I committed myself to following the AMGA training process to its ultimate conclusion: IFMGA certification. I learned a lot and became safer, faster, and more e!cient, but the biggest thing I took away was the ability to engineer the necessary techniques in any guiding situation. In other words, I learned how to avoid most problems, or at least to MacGyver my way out of the ones I couldnt sidestep.

I was a geologist before I was a guide, and so had to suppress my inner rock geek during my first few

LAC DE DIX, SWITZERLAND, ALONG THE

HAUTE ROUTE AS SEEN FROM THE COL

DES ROUX, APRIL 2010.

I learned how to avoid most problems, or at least to MacGyver my way out of the ones I couldnt sidestep.

+

46 3 27.1008 N, 7 23 38.0580 E

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 14 15amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

years of guiding. In 2008, I took a job as a field safety instructor for the US Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. The job entailed survival-course instruction, search and rescue training, sea-ice monitoring, and risk management for groups of scientists. I watched penguins jump out of the sea to escape pursuing or-cas as I peed into a bottle (leave no trace!) next to an idling tracked vehicle spewing diesel exhaust. It was the most blue-collar, redneck, brown-cloud, save-the-world-from-us-humans green job I could have imag-ined, and I loved it. The only thing I loved more was going freelance the following season, working directly for science groups that needed a field mountaineer. I held their hand through the McMurdo Logistics Labyrinth and field-planning process, and mapped out our food and equipment allocation. I accompanied them on month-long scientific expeditions to the most remote and spectacular mountains on the planet. I found my calling down there: I was paid to manage risk in a way for which only a decade of guiding and training could have prepared me.

I still choose to expose myself to new situations and work environments that will challenge my existing skill set, and that force me to adopt new skills and new ways of thinking. Im convinced that for many guides, complacency kills. New challenges keep us fresh, sharp, learning, and alive. Im always on the lookout for situations in which Ive become too

PACKSFOOTWEARROPESAPPAREL

DESIGNED & USED BYCHAMONIX ALPINE GUIDES

WWW.MILLETUSA.COM

OFFICIAL PARTNER

Established in 1821, the Chamonix Guides Company is the worlds oldest guide service and the largest by membership. Since 2010, MILLET has

been the official supplier for this passionate group of mountaineers, who rigorously test MILLET products in their natural environment. Both

organizations hold the same values, to be modern and innovative in mountain pursuits, while respecting their traditions and rich history.

+

BBC DOCUMENTARY

PRODUCER DR. CHAD-

DEN HUNTER SUSSES

OUT A HOLE IN THE

SEA ICE, ANTARCTICA.

38 1 21.9792 N, 107 40 17.2164 W

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 16 amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 View the collection + expeditionthenorthface.com / VertoClimb

Less weight. More pitches. The North Face athlete Emily Harrington works the 5.13a crux moves of her 5-pitch !rst ascent Call Me Maybe on the Sail, Crimea, Ukraine. The Verto Micro Hoodie keeps her comfortable in a range of conditions

and lets her focus on the pumpy sections of the dif!cult fourth pitch.

=+ +litho tee

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14.8 oz / 420 g

verto micro hoodie800 FILL DOWN + PERTEX QUANTUM

9.1oz / 255 g

total weight COLLECTION

27.5 oz / 780 g

PHOTO: CORY RICHARDS

EXPEDITION: BIG WALL CLIMBING

UKRAINE

years of guiding. In 2008, I took a job as a field safety instructor for the US Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. The job entailed survival-course instruction, search and rescue training, sea-ice monitoring, and risk management for groups of scientists. I watched penguins jump out of the sea to escape pursuing or-cas as I peed into a bottle (leave no trace!) next to an idling tracked vehicle spewing diesel exhaust. It was the most blue-collar, redneck, brown-cloud, save-the-world-from-us-humans green job I could have imag-ined, and I loved it. The only thing I loved more was going freelance the following season, working directly for science groups that needed a field mountaineer. I held their hand through the McMurdo Logistics Labyrinth and field-planning process, and mapped out our food and equipment allocation. I accompanied them on month-long scientific expeditions to the most remote and spectacular mountains on the planet. I found my calling down there: I was paid to manage risk in a way for which only a decade of guiding and training could have prepared me.

I still choose to expose myself to new situations and work environments that will challenge my existing skill set, and that force me to adopt new skills and new ways of thinking. Im convinced that for many guides, complacency kills. New challenges keep us fresh, sharp, learning, and alive. Im always on the lookout for situations in which Ive become too

PACKSFOOTWEARROPESAPPAREL

DESIGNED & USED BYCHAMONIX ALPINE GUIDES

WWW.MILLETUSA.COM

OFFICIAL PARTNER

Established in 1821, the Chamonix Guides Company is the worlds oldest guide service and the largest by membership. Since 2010, MILLET has

been the official supplier for this passionate group of mountaineers, who rigorously test MILLET products in their natural environment. Both

organizations hold the same values, to be modern and innovative in mountain pursuits, while respecting their traditions and rich history.

+

BBC DOCUMENTARY

PRODUCER DR. CHAD-

DEN HUNTER SUSSES

OUT A HOLE IN THE

SEA ICE, ANTARCTICA.

38 1 21.9792 N, 107 40 17.2164 W

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 16 amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 View the collection + expeditionthenorthface.com / VertoClimb

Less weight. More pitches. The North Face athlete Emily Harrington works the 5.13a crux moves of her 5-pitch !rst ascent Call Me Maybe on the Sail, Crimea, Ukraine. The Verto Micro Hoodie keeps her comfortable in a range of conditions

and lets her focus on the pumpy sections of the dif!cult fourth pitch.

=+ +litho tee

1OO% MERINO WOOL

3.6 oz / 105 g

satellite pantTNF APEX AEROBIC FABRIC

14.8 oz / 420 g

verto micro hoodie800 FILL DOWN + PERTEX QUANTUM

9.1oz / 255 g

total weight COLLECTION

27.5 oz / 780 g

PHOTO: CORY RICHARDS

EXPEDITION: BIG WALL CLIMBING

UKRAINE

German EngineeredSince 1898

Guide 35+s Removable Varifl ex Pivoting Hip Belts Ventilated Alpine Back Systems Unmatched Durabilitys Removable Foam Mat & Stays

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0 30 0.0000 S, 78 7 59.9988 W

TWO CLIENTS ON

THE QUIET, RARELY

TRODDEN VOLCANO

OF ANTISANA,

ECUADOR, 2005.

at ease; but neither do I want to pick up and move every time Im feeling too comfortable. Im getting older, and moving around all the time is exhausting. I think many of us who guide will, over time, mi-grate from the vagabond group to the local experts groupespecially when we find contentment guid-ing in our own backyard, by devising clever ways to keep the work environment fresh. We need a solid foundation of experience and education as well as the occasional set of fresh eyes to shake things up and to remind us how little we know about our local environ-ment, even if weve been there for decades.

ROAM AMGA.COM FOR MORE OF DYLAN TAYLORS PHOTOS.

amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 19

German EngineeredSince 1898

Guide 35+s Removable Varifl ex Pivoting Hip Belts Ventilated Alpine Back Systems Unmatched Durabilitys Removable Foam Mat & Stays

A

rmin

Dem

ler

Visit www.deuter.com

www.petzl.com/SAMA

SAMA

www.petzl.com/SAMA7OV[V

2HSPJL

SAMAComfort and performance

never go out of style.

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0 30 0.0000 S, 78 7 59.9988 W

TWO CLIENTS ON

THE QUIET, RARELY

TRODDEN VOLCANO

OF ANTISANA,

ECUADOR, 2005.

at ease; but neither do I want to pick up and move every time Im feeling too comfortable. Im getting older, and moving around all the time is exhausting. I think many of us who guide will, over time, mi-grate from the vagabond group to the local experts groupespecially when we find contentment guid-ing in our own backyard, by devising clever ways to keep the work environment fresh. We need a solid foundation of experience and education as well as the occasional set of fresh eyes to shake things up and to remind us how little we know about our local environ-ment, even if weve been there for decades.

ROAM AMGA.COM FOR MORE OF DYLAN TAYLORS PHOTOS.

amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013 19

BOLTS AND PINSWith 43 years guiding in the worlds great ranges, Exum Senior Guide and IFMGA/AMGA-

certified legend Tom Hargis is also the only American to summit Gasherbrum IV. The 2004 recipient of the AMGA Lifetime Achievement in Guiding Award, Hargis here presents his expertise about fixed protectionhow it works and how to evaluate in situ pieces, from the good to the bad to the ugly. By Tom Hargis

GUIDE BETA

MORE GUIDING T IPS FROM HARGIS AT AMGA.COM

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 20 21amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

BOLTS AND PINSWith 43 years guiding in the worlds great ranges, Exum Senior Guide and IFMGA/AMGA-

certified legend Tom Hargis is also the only American to summit Gasherbrum IV. The 2004 recipient of the AMGA Lifetime Achievement in Guiding Award, Hargis here presents his expertise about fixed protectionhow it works and how to evaluate in situ pieces, from the good to the bad to the ugly. By Tom Hargis

GUIDE BETA

MORE GUIDING T IPS FROM HARGIS AT AMGA.COM

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 20 21amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

WHEN WORKING WITH A CLIENT IN semi-technical terrain, such as short-roping on a fourth-class ridge, it is important that youre able to e!ciently increase the level of security on the rope without creating moments of weakness during which your client could wrest the rope from your control. In particular, weve seen many guides in our courses who will tie a Munter Hitch in the air before clipping it to their harness as they transition from a hand belay to the Munter. This momentwhen the guide is tying the Munteris a weak point during which the client could easily pull the rope away from the guides hands and potentially take a nasty fall.

The Window Munter is a simple technique that allows you to transi-tion from a hand belay to a carabiner redirect to a Munter belay quickly while maintaining solid control of the rope.

THE WINDOW MUNTER GUIDE BETA

HOW TO SAFELY TRANSITION FROM A HAND BELAY TO A MUNTER BELAY By Dale Remsberg 2

3

4

1

5

You only get 26,320 days, more or less. How will you spend them?

scarpa.com/rebel-ultra-gtx

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 22 23amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

WHEN WORKING WITH A CLIENT IN semi-technical terrain, such as short-roping on a fourth-class ridge, it is important that youre able to e!ciently increase the level of security on the rope without creating moments of weakness during which your client could wrest the rope from your control. In particular, weve seen many guides in our courses who will tie a Munter Hitch in the air before clipping it to their harness as they transition from a hand belay to the Munter. This momentwhen the guide is tying the Munteris a weak point during which the client could easily pull the rope away from the guides hands and potentially take a nasty fall.

The Window Munter is a simple technique that allows you to transi-tion from a hand belay to a carabiner redirect to a Munter belay quickly while maintaining solid control of the rope.

THE WINDOW MUNTER GUIDE BETA

HOW TO SAFELY TRANSITION FROM A HAND BELAY TO A MUNTER BELAY By Dale Remsberg 2

3

4

1

5

You only get 26,320 days, more or less. How will you spend them?

scarpa.com/rebel-ultra-gtx

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 22 23amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

www.trango.comDistributed by

ELAINA ARENZ

While many things in life are elusive, in climbing, you can actually see some measureable growth, both personally and physically. It feels great to help people discover that.

+

A LUCKY FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO ALWAYS be smilingwarmly, openly, and with infectious happiness. One of those people is Elaina Arenz, a West Virginia climber and guide whos always grinning big, be it in magazine photos, on her sponsors websites, or while organiz-ing and running major events at her home crag, the New River Gorge. Hire her to take you crack climbing or attend her Ster-ling Rope Womens Weekend, and Arenzs beaming smile sets the stage for a simultaneously laid-back and cheerful afternoon.

After nearly two decades of climbing, operating a flourish-ing guide service, and extensive international travel, Arenz has a lot to be happy about. Most notably, she recently received the 2013 Five Ten Scholarship, which will pay $1000 toward her next AMGA Rock Guide Course. The scholarship comes at a good time, Arenz says. She aspires to guide in other parts of the country and expand her local business, New River Mountain Guides. The scholarship o"ers her the opportunity to enrich her skill set.

I get so much out of these courses, she says. The first AMGA course I ever took was a toprope site-manager course. I thought, What the hell am I going to learn about top roping? But in reality, she learned a lot.

The cool thing about climbing is youre never done learn-ing, Arenz explains. Things change and evolve, so you always have the opportunity to learn. The AMGA is a great place to go to challenge and question what you think you know, and help you learn and grow through that.

Plus, AMGA courses give her the chance to connect to peers outside her local network. People are doing things in other places, and you never know what you might be missing out on, she says.

Arenz started climbing in 1993. Climbing was the first thing that really spoke to me, she says. The lifestyle really attracted me. I love spending time outdoors with friends, travel-ing, challenging myself, and problem-solving. I was never good at organized sports. I never stuck with anything. Over time, Arenz gravitated toward guiding as a career.

Climbing helps people break through barriers in their lives, she says. It gives people a sense of accomplishment. While many things in life are elusive, in climbing, you can actually see some measureable growth, both personally and physically. It feels great to help people discover that.

Arenz organizes various events, includ-ing her guide services signature event, the New River Rendezvous. She is an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor and a member of the Single Pitch Instructor Provider Pool. She is also a Warriors Way Certified Trainer. For more information, visit her website at newriverclimbing.com.

A PROFILE OF THIS YEARS FIVE TEN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT By Lizzy Scully

UNROPED

ELAINA ARENZ CLIMB-

ING LEAVE IT TO JESUS,

5.11C. ARENZ IS

APPEARING IN CHRIS

NOBLES NEW BOOK,

WOMEN WHO DARE:

NORTH AMERICAS

MOST INSPIRING

WOMEN CLIMBERS,

TO BE PUBLISHED BY

GLOBE PEQUOT PRESS

NOVEMBER 2013.

PHOTO BY CHRIS NOBLE

38 1 21.9792 N, 107 40 17.2164 W

25amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 24

www.trango.comDistributed by

ELAINA ARENZ

While many things in life are elusive, in climbing, you can actually see some measureable growth, both personally and physically. It feels great to help people discover that.

+

A LUCKY FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO ALWAYS be smilingwarmly, openly, and with infectious happiness. One of those people is Elaina Arenz, a West Virginia climber and guide whos always grinning big, be it in magazine photos, on her sponsors websites, or while organiz-ing and running major events at her home crag, the New River Gorge. Hire her to take you crack climbing or attend her Ster-ling Rope Womens Weekend, and Arenzs beaming smile sets the stage for a simultaneously laid-back and cheerful afternoon.

After nearly two decades of climbing, operating a flourish-ing guide service, and extensive international travel, Arenz has a lot to be happy about. Most notably, she recently received the 2013 Five Ten Scholarship, which will pay $1000 toward her next AMGA Rock Guide Course. The scholarship comes at a good time, Arenz says. She aspires to guide in other parts of the country and expand her local business, New River Mountain Guides. The scholarship o"ers her the opportunity to enrich her skill set.

I get so much out of these courses, she says. The first AMGA course I ever took was a toprope site-manager course. I thought, What the hell am I going to learn about top roping? But in reality, she learned a lot.

The cool thing about climbing is youre never done learn-ing, Arenz explains. Things change and evolve, so you always have the opportunity to learn. The AMGA is a great place to go to challenge and question what you think you know, and help you learn and grow through that.

Plus, AMGA courses give her the chance to connect to peers outside her local network. People are doing things in other places, and you never know what you might be missing out on, she says.

Arenz started climbing in 1993. Climbing was the first thing that really spoke to me, she says. The lifestyle really attracted me. I love spending time outdoors with friends, travel-ing, challenging myself, and problem-solving. I was never good at organized sports. I never stuck with anything. Over time, Arenz gravitated toward guiding as a career.

Climbing helps people break through barriers in their lives, she says. It gives people a sense of accomplishment. While many things in life are elusive, in climbing, you can actually see some measureable growth, both personally and physically. It feels great to help people discover that.

Arenz organizes various events, includ-ing her guide services signature event, the New River Rendezvous. She is an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor and a member of the Single Pitch Instructor Provider Pool. She is also a Warriors Way Certified Trainer. For more information, visit her website at newriverclimbing.com.

A PROFILE OF THIS YEARS FIVE TEN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT By Lizzy Scully

UNROPED

ELAINA ARENZ CLIMB-

ING LEAVE IT TO JESUS,

5.11C. ARENZ IS

APPEARING IN CHRIS

NOBLES NEW BOOK,

WOMEN WHO DARE:

NORTH AMERICAS

MOST INSPIRING

WOMEN CLIMBERS,

TO BE PUBLISHED BY

GLOBE PEQUOT PRESS

NOVEMBER 2013.

PHOTO BY CHRIS NOBLE

38 1 21.9792 N, 107 40 17.2164 W

25amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 24

Designed in Canada

pro.arcteryx.com

Mike Libecki, Southeast GreenlandPhoto: Keith Ladzinski

State of the Guiding Industry Report

Were excited to present our first annual State of the Guiding Industry Report. An analysis of 61 questions answered by 825 of our 2,606 members revealed a slew of interesting facts and perceptions around guiding, and will help us better serve our members. For example, did you know that guides are three times more likely than the average American to be college educated, but are less likely to own a home? Or that despite the median guiding wage of $126$200 per

day, three-fourths of respondents still take another job? Or that last year AMGA guides alone spent $3.6 mil-lion on guide-related gear and clothing? Overall, the best news was the positive feel-ings respondents had for the AMGA and for the industrys future. For an in-depth analy-sis, visit amga.com.

IFMGA/AMGA Guide Interviewed in 5280

In its May 2013 issue, the maga-zine 5280 featured Marmot and GORE-TEX brand athlete Angela Hawse in the article Risky Busi-ness. The article details vari-ous careers that might make you love your nine-to-five desk job just a little bit more and focuses on Hawses job as a heli-

ski guide. (Also included: wildland firefighting, rockfall management, and ranching.) Hawse told us in a recent email that she thinks the publicity from the article puts the guiding community in a positive light.

Your typical Joe Public doesnt know guiding is a profession, Hawse says. And, they dont necessarily understand that risk management is a guides No. 1 priority at all times. 5280 did a good job of explaining how the risk is managed in my particular case, which gives credibility and accountability to the work.

To read the full article, visit www.5280.com/magazine. And to read more about Angelas thoughts on risk and the guide career path, visit our blog.

MTN. BUZZ SUMMER 2013

The Wright Moves: A New FA on the Mooses Tooth I would be lying if I said it wasnt the hardest thing Ive done in the mountains, says Certified AMGA Rock and Alpine guide Chris Wright of his new route on the Mooses Tooth, Terror (4921 feet; VI WI6 M7 R/X A2). The memory is fading just a little bit now, reced-ing into, That was like fun. But it was full-on. That first day was a beast. The whole thing ended up being sheer terror from the beginning to the end. A lot of it was pretty heady.

Wright climbed the route with Scott Adamson, who, just days before, had climbed another first free ascent, NWS (4593 feet; V A16 M5), also on the Mooses Tooth. Wright had originally starting climbing with Geo" Unger, making an unsuccessful attempt on a poorly protected ice line. Unfortunately, Ungers elbow injury precluded another attempt, so Wright partnered

with Adamson. With conditions better than they had ever seen on the Mooses Tooth, the new team started up the wall on April 18, spending 67 hours on the route.

This year Wright received the American Alpine Clubs McNeill-Nott Award and the Mazamas Alpine Adventure Grant, and will be returning to Nepal to attempt a new line in the Rolwaling area.

CHRIS WRIGHT

SHARPENING UP AFTER

TWO DAYS OF SUSTAINED

MIXED MOVEMENT

ON TERROR.

PHOTO BY SCOTT ADAMS

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 26 27amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

Designed in Canada

pro.arcteryx.com

Mike Libecki, Southeast GreenlandPhoto: Keith Ladzinski

State of the Guiding Industry Report

Were excited to present our first annual State of the Guiding Industry Report. An analysis of 61 questions answered by 825 of our 2,606 members revealed a slew of interesting facts and perceptions around guiding, and will help us better serve our members. For example, did you know that guides are three times more likely than the average American to be college educated, but are less likely to own a home? Or that despite the median guiding wage of $126$200 per

day, three-fourths of respondents still take another job? Or that last year AMGA guides alone spent $3.6 mil-lion on guide-related gear and clothing? Overall, the best news was the positive feel-ings respondents had for the AMGA and for the industrys future. For an in-depth analy-sis, visit amga.com.

IFMGA/AMGA Guide Interviewed in 5280

In its May 2013 issue, the maga-zine 5280 featured Marmot and GORE-TEX brand athlete Angela Hawse in the article Risky Busi-ness. The article details vari-ous careers that might make you love your nine-to-five desk job just a little bit more and focuses on Hawses job as a heli-

ski guide. (Also included: wildland firefighting, rockfall management, and ranching.) Hawse told us in a recent email that she thinks the publicity from the article puts the guiding community in a positive light.

Your typical Joe Public doesnt know guiding is a profession, Hawse says. And, they dont necessarily understand that risk management is a guides No. 1 priority at all times. 5280 did a good job of explaining how the risk is managed in my particular case, which gives credibility and accountability to the work.

To read the full article, visit www.5280.com/magazine. And to read more about Angelas thoughts on risk and the guide career path, visit our blog.

MTN. BUZZ SUMMER 2013

The Wright Moves: A New FA on the Mooses Tooth I would be lying if I said it wasnt the hardest thing Ive done in the mountains, says Certified AMGA Rock and Alpine guide Chris Wright of his new route on the Mooses Tooth, Terror (4921 feet; VI WI6 M7 R/X A2). The memory is fading just a little bit now, reced-ing into, That was like fun. But it was full-on. That first day was a beast. The whole thing ended up being sheer terror from the beginning to the end. A lot of it was pretty heady.

Wright climbed the route with Scott Adamson, who, just days before, had climbed another first free ascent, NWS (4593 feet; V A16 M5), also on the Mooses Tooth. Wright had originally starting climbing with Geo" Unger, making an unsuccessful attempt on a poorly protected ice line. Unfortunately, Ungers elbow injury precluded another attempt, so Wright partnered

with Adamson. With conditions better than they had ever seen on the Mooses Tooth, the new team started up the wall on April 18, spending 67 hours on the route.

This year Wright received the American Alpine Clubs McNeill-Nott Award and the Mazamas Alpine Adventure Grant, and will be returning to Nepal to attempt a new line in the Rolwaling area.

CHRIS WRIGHT

SHARPENING UP AFTER

TWO DAYS OF SUSTAINED

MIXED MOVEMENT

ON TERROR.

PHOTO BY SCOTT ADAMS

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 26 27amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

FIVE

TEN

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STEA

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The thinnest and lightest single rope, for rock or alpine routes at the absolute limit of possibility. Certified as single/half/twin, a new thicker sheath provides the highest abrasion resistance in its class.

SEAN McCOLL Mammut Pro TeamCombined World Champion 2012, 2nd ascent Dreamcatcher 5.14d, Squamish, BC.

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Pho

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Well-Loved Front Range Guide Dies in AvalancheOn April 20, Rick Gaukel, 33, was snowboarding in the backcountry of Loveland Pass, Colo., with a group of snowboarders and skiers when a 600-foot-wide, eight-foot-deep avalanche cut loose. The group was raising money for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center during an event called the Rocky Mountain High Backcountry Bash. The avalanche trapped and killed Gaukel and four others.

The avalanche and death of these men was a blow to the climbing/skiing community, says AMGA Executive Director Betsy Winter. Rick was an up-and-coming guide who showed a clear dedication to and passion for his chosen career path.

Equipped with a BA in outdoor leadership and various certifications, including the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and AIARE Level 1, Gaukel, a native of Santa Cruz, California, guided for Kent Mountain Adventure Center and the Colorado Mountain School. This past winter he successfully completed his AMGA Ski Guide Course; Rick was also an avid rock climber, ice climber, skater, and surfer. He will be deeply missed by the guiding community. Rick leaves behind his 33-year-old wife, Jonna Book, of Estes Park, Colo.

Alaska FAs: Doucette/Rossi Send Two Years RunningOn April 20, Silas Rossi and Peter Doucette climbed Twisted Stair (2300 feet; V WI6 R/X M6+), a new route on Mount Johnson (8460 feet), Alaska.

Of the route, Rossi says: On a route where youre doing a first ascent like that, its always in the back of your mind, Is the next pitch going to go? The crux pitch ended up being this really thin ice smear. It was just above where we bivied for the night. We went to bed thinking wed just go down in the morning. We thought it was desperate. The next morning we got up, and Peter ended up leading that pitch and did a really great job. After we were through that, we had this realization that we actually might complete this route. That was pretty pivotal.

For Rossi, the trip was a continuation of his focus on doing first ascents on bigger peaks. Rossi and Doucette had climbed two other new routes in the Ruth Gorge in April 2012.s 4HE3UMOF)TS0ARTSFEET!LASKA'RADE6!)-!s (EAVY-ETTLEFEET!LASKA'RADE67)2-!The last couple years I went through the IFMGA process, and so my focus was on smaller objectives, Rossi says. Now its really cool to have time to myself to

fully immerse in climbing. I love that singular focus; it is often really intense. Either youre really climbing and focusing for a long period of time, or youre fully in camp resting. I like being able to put all my energy in one place. The new routes we are trying to do are on terrain that demands that much focus to be successful.

MTN. BUZZ SUMMER 2013

DOUCETTE AND ROSSI HIGH ON THEIR 2013 FA, TWISTED

STAIR, RUTH GORGE, ALASKA. PHOTO BY PETER DOUCETTE

GAUKEL (LEFT) AT AN ASPEN AMGA SKI GUIDE COURSE IN

2013, DOING BEACON DRILLS. PHOTO COURTESY AMGA

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 28 29amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

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Well-Loved Front Range Guide Dies in AvalancheOn April 20, Rick Gaukel, 33, was snowboarding in the backcountry of Loveland Pass, Colo., with a group of snowboarders and skiers when a 600-foot-wide, eight-foot-deep avalanche cut loose. The group was raising money for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center during an event called the Rocky Mountain High Backcountry Bash. The avalanche trapped and killed Gaukel and four others.

The avalanche and death of these men was a blow to the climbing/skiing community, says AMGA Executive Director Betsy Winter. Rick was an up-and-coming guide who showed a clear dedication to and passion for his chosen career path.

Equipped with a BA in outdoor leadership and various certifications, including the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and AIARE Level 1, Gaukel, a native of Santa Cruz, California, guided for Kent Mountain Adventure Center and the Colorado Mountain School. This past winter he successfully completed his AMGA Ski Guide Course; Rick was also an avid rock climber, ice climber, skater, and surfer. He will be deeply missed by the guiding community. Rick leaves behind his 33-year-old wife, Jonna Book, of Estes Park, Colo.

Alaska FAs: Doucette/Rossi Send Two Years RunningOn April 20, Silas Rossi and Peter Doucette climbed Twisted Stair (2300 feet; V WI6 R/X M6+), a new route on Mount Johnson (8460 feet), Alaska.

Of the route, Rossi says: On a route where youre doing a first ascent like that, its always in the back of your mind, Is the next pitch going to go? The crux pitch ended up being this really thin ice smear. It was just above where we bivied for the night. We went to bed thinking wed just go down in the morning. We thought it was desperate. The next morning we got up, and Peter ended up leading that pitch and did a really great job. After we were through that, we had this realization that we actually might complete this route. That was pretty pivotal.

For Rossi, the trip was a continuation of his focus on doing first ascents on bigger peaks. Rossi and Doucette had climbed two other new routes in the Ruth Gorge in April 2012.s 4HE3UMOF)TS0ARTSFEET!LASKA'RADE6!)-!s (EAVY-ETTLEFEET!LASKA'RADE67)2-!The last couple years I went through the IFMGA process, and so my focus was on smaller objectives, Rossi says. Now its really cool to have time to myself to

fully immerse in climbing. I love that singular focus; it is often really intense. Either youre really climbing and focusing for a long period of time, or youre fully in camp resting. I like being able to put all my energy in one place. The new routes we are trying to do are on terrain that demands that much focus to be successful.

MTN. BUZZ SUMMER 2013

DOUCETTE AND ROSSI HIGH ON THEIR 2013 FA, TWISTED

STAIR, RUTH GORGE, ALASKA. PHOTO BY PETER DOUCETTE

GAUKEL (LEFT) AT AN ASPEN AMGA SKI GUIDE COURSE IN

2013, DOING BEACON DRILLS. PHOTO COURTESY AMGA

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 28 29amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

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amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 30 31amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

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SPEED IS SAFETY.

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The fastest, most fuel efficient stove in the world.

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Photo Forest Woodward

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The world needs your vision

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Use your professional discount and order directly off of the Metolius website! Contact AMGA office manager Valerie Bender for the monthly Metolius pro-code.

Master Cam

is a proud supporter of the AMGA and its members.

CONNECT WITH USalpinist.com

alpinist.com/appfacebook.com/alpinist

twitter.com/alpinistmaginstagram.com/alpinistmag

Alpinist.com/subscribeUSE CODE ALPAMGA

AND SAVE 20%.

[Photo] Alden Pellett

amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 30 31amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013

Patagonia ambassador Hayden Kennedy descends, spent but happy, after establishing a new route on the south face of the Ogre 1. A month earlier, hed established a new route on the east face of K7, making his season in Pakistan one for the books. Karakoram, Pakistan. KYLE DEMPSTER

2013 Patagonia, Inc.

AMGA Mountain Bulletin_07-13.indd 1 7/17/13 2:41 PM

Double Diamond Partner gives over $15,000Diamond Partners give over $12,000

Benefactor Partners give between $5000 and $12,000Patron Partners give between $2000 and $5000

Supporting Partners give between $500 and $2000

ABSBackcountry AccessBig AgnesBluewater RopesCamp USA

Forty BelowGregoryJulboLekiMetolius

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THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS!

Photo // Forest WoodwardGraham Zimmerman, Mt. Waddington, BC

OUTDOOR RESEARCH IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE AMGA

33amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 32

Patagonia ambassador Hayden Kennedy descends, spent but happy, after establishing a new route on the south face of the Ogre 1. A month earlier, hed established a new route on the east face of K7, making his season in Pakistan one for the books. Karakoram, Pakistan. KYLE DEMPSTER

2013 Patagonia, Inc.

AMGA Mountain Bulletin_07-13.indd 1 7/17/13 2:41 PM

Double Diamond Partner gives over $15,000Diamond Partners give over $12,000

Benefactor Partners give between $5000 and $12,000Patron Partners give between $2000 and $5000

Supporting Partners give between $500 and $2000

ABSBackcountry AccessBig AgnesBluewater RopesCamp USA

Forty BelowGregoryJulboLekiMetolius

MontBell AmericaOmega PacificPranaRabRed Ledge

Rite in the RainScott USASterling Rope Company

SUPPORTING

DIAMOND

MEDIA PARTNERS

DOUBLE DIAMOND

PATRON

BENEFACTOR

THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS!

Photo // Forest WoodwardGraham Zimmerman, Mt. Waddington, BC

OUTDOOR RESEARCH IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE AMGA

33amga.com GUIDE BULLET IN SUMMER 2013AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 32

THE GUIDING LIFE SUMMER 2013

CRUXES MADE EASYIn 2002, I had a shot at the best day of my guiding career. A client, Harry, had called and

wanted to climb 5.10 all day. After knocking off five pitches by noon, we paused at the top of The Book at Lumpy Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park. Want more? I asked. Definitely, he said.By Majka Burhardt

T HE COLORADO SUN WAS ABOUT TO go full strength on Lumpys south-facing granite. I paid no attention and started rattling o" 5.10 testpieces nearby. I began with single-pitch climbs and then mentioned the three-pitch Romulan Territory. Never mind that its a solar oven whose nickname is Romulan Scaritory. I had a badass client. I was badass. Romulan was going down.

It was August, and more than 90 degrees F. Halfway up pitch two of Romulan, the crisp, easy undercling turned into a desperado upside-down clutchfest. My feet skated, the crack shrank, and progress ground to a halt. Down at the belay, Harry had craned his neck, his full attention focused on me. I mumbled something about needing to extend the piece below for rope drag, even though my rope elegantly threaded all seven pieces in the previous 25 feet. I debated downclimbing, but didnt want to look unconfi-dent. I swatted at the rock above the undercling, willing a better edge to appear. The sun burned the back of my neck, and I hallucinated the granite suppurating bubbles of gooey slime. All I needed was a good right foothold...

Take, I said. What? Harry yelled back I cant hear you. I took a breath: Take!!! That was eleven years ago. I reached the top, eventu-

ally. So did Harry. I wish I could say that Harry and I went on to climb all of the worlds 5.10s together, but the truth is I never saw him again. What I am sure of is that I spent 25 minutes wrestling my ego and ended up hang-ing twice, over-chalking, hanging again, and eventually French-freeing those final six feet.

It never occurred to me, having climbed Romulan plenty of other times without issue, to French-free the crux from the get-go. Had I done so, my client would have had a shorter belay, spent less time baking in the sun, and had a better overall climbing day. I was a young guide then24and I was fixated on proving myself to my fellow guides and clients. I was also a young female guide, which in my version of reality meant that I had to prove myself all the more. Dont bother going back in time to tell me to chill out: I would just push harder if you did.

These days I guide semi-part time (there wasnt a category for that on the recent survey), and climb and write full-time. Id be lying if I said I dont still get the ego pull while guiding. But I try to temper it better, by being honest with my clients about where Im at in a given mo-ment. I do so by reminding myself that sometimes its not about what you can do, but rather what you should do on that route, on that pitch, on that move.

If Im out climbing with a friend, I dont (and cant) pretend to be stronger or bolder than I am that day. I try to take that same attitude with me when I guide. But its harder to be unpretentious in the guiding environ-ment, in part, I believe, because guides are expected to be pretentious. However, I learned pretty early on that my stoicism was a handicap. Ive also had brute real-ity thrown at me in the form of injuries and the loss of too many friends. There is nothing like recovering from a broken foot, back surgery, or a damaged finger liga-ment to keep you honest. Losing friends, colleagues, and mentors in the mountains has also left me scared and scarredneither of which I can or want to hide anymore. All of thisand that day on Romulanhas shaped how I guide and how I interact with my clients.

If you are truthful with your clients, then they will come to better understand our universal risk and fallibil-ity in the mountains. If they see you weigh the choices you make, then they too will be poised to make better choices of their own one day. This can show up for me in all guiding situations, and even more so when guiding at my limit. Still, if need be, my goal is to pause in any medium, of any di!culty. Sometimes I pause and adjust my stylemore gear, a di"erent linea bit of French-freeing. Sometimes I change course. And more and more when I do so, I speak up. So far its had a much better outcome than my Lumpy mini-epic, and as a result my clients climb and learn more.

Its an evolution. Ive had to learn that my job as a guide is not to be rad, but to make the rad safer, and more enjoyable and e!cient. If he were game, Id love to take Harry out again. Wed probably go big. Or at least, wed definitely get through the crux faster. Marmot Tent &

Sleeping Bag Collection

marmot.com s facebook.com/marmotproPhotography: Andy Mann I Expedition: The Incan Odyssey

Marmot Tent & Sleeping Bag Collection

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 34

THE GUIDING LIFE SUMMER 2013

CRUXES MADE EASYIn 2002, I had a shot at the best day of my guiding career. A client, Harry, had called and

wanted to climb 5.10 all day. After knocking off five pitches by noon, we paused at the top of The Book at Lumpy Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park. Want more? I asked. Definitely, he said.By Majka Burhardt

T HE COLORADO SUN WAS ABOUT TO go full strength on Lumpys south-facing granite. I paid no attention and started rattling o" 5.10 testpieces nearby. I began with single-pitch climbs and then mentioned the three-pitch Romulan Territory. Never mind that its a solar oven whose nickname is Romulan Scaritory. I had a badass client. I was badass. Romulan was going down.

It was August, and more than 90 degrees F. Halfway up pitch two of Romulan, the crisp, easy undercling turned into a desperado upside-down clutchfest. My feet skated, the crack shrank, and progress ground to a halt. Down at the belay, Harry had craned his neck, his full attention focused on me. I mumbled something about needing to extend the piece below for rope drag, even though my rope elegantly threaded all seven pieces in the previous 25 feet. I debated downclimbing, but didnt want to look unconfi-dent. I swatted at the rock above the undercling, willing a better edge to appear. The sun burned the back of my neck, and I hallucinated the granite suppurating bubbles of gooey slime. All I needed was a good right foothold...

Take, I said. What? Harry yelled back I cant hear you. I took a breath: Take!!! That was eleven years ago. I reached the top, eventu-

ally. So did Harry. I wish I could say that Harry and I went on to climb all of the worlds 5.10s together, but the truth is I never saw him again. What I am sure of is that I spent 25 minutes wrestling my ego and ended up hang-ing twice, over-chalking, hanging again, and eventually French-freeing those final six feet.

It never occurred to me, having climbed Romulan plenty of other times without issue, to French-free the crux from the get-go. Had I done so, my client would have had a shorter belay, spent less time baking in the sun, and had a better overall climbing day. I was a young guide then24and I was fixated on proving myself to my fellow guides and clients. I was also a young female guide, which in my version of reality meant that I had to prove myself all the more. Dont bother going back in time to tell me to chill out: I would just push harder if you did.

These days I guide semi-part time (there wasnt a category for that on the recent survey), and climb and write full-time. Id be lying if I said I dont still get the ego pull while guiding. But I try to temper it better, by being honest with my clients about where Im at in a given mo-ment. I do so by reminding myself that sometimes its not about what you can do, but rather what you should do on that route, on that pitch, on that move.

If Im out climbing with a friend, I dont (and cant) pretend to be stronger or bolder than I am that day. I try to take that same attitude with me when I guide. But its harder to be unpretentious in the guiding environ-ment, in part, I believe, because guides are expected to be pretentious. However, I learned pretty early on that my stoicism was a handicap. Ive also had brute real-ity thrown at me in the form of injuries and the loss of too many friends. There is nothing like recovering from a broken foot, back surgery, or a damaged finger liga-ment to keep you honest. Losing friends, colleagues, and mentors in the mountains has also left me scared and scarredneither of which I can or want to hide anymore. All of thisand that day on Romulanhas shaped how I guide and how I interact with my clients.

If you are truthful with your clients, then they will come to better understand our universal risk and fallibil-ity in the mountains. If they see you weigh the choices you make, then they too will be poised to make better choices of their own one day. This can show up for me in all guiding situations, and even more so when guiding at my limit. Still, if need be, my goal is to pause in any medium, of any di!culty. Sometimes I pause and adjust my stylemore gear, a di"erent linea bit of French-freeing. Sometimes I change course. And more and more when I do so, I speak up. So far its had a much better outcome than my Lumpy mini-epic, and as a result my clients climb and learn more.

Its an evolution. Ive had to learn that my job as a guide is not to be rad, but to make the rad safer, and more enjoyable and e!cient. If he were game, Id love to take Harry out again. Wed probably go big. Or at least, wed definitely get through the crux faster. Marmot Tent &

Sleeping Bag Collection

marmot.com s facebook.com/marmotproPhotography: Andy Mann I Expedition: The Incan Odyssey

Marmot Tent & Sleeping Bag Collection

AMGA SUMMER 2013 in fo@amga.com 34